The Job I Gave Up for My Daughter
This is part 2 of 5 in my personal series, How I Raised My Daughter. I’m Shree, the founder of MindfullyRaised, and these are my own memories and beliefs, not rules. Every child and every family is different.
Before my daughter, I loved my work. But my work meant working closely with germs, the kind of pathogens you study in a lab.
After she was born, I couldn’t stop thinking about it. What if I carried something home to my baby? It was COVID, and the risk felt very real.
Giving it time before deciding
I didn’t decide overnight. I gave it time and thought. In the end, I chose a different path, one that gave me balance and let me be there for her.
It wasn’t an easy choice. It was the right one for us.
I want to be honest that this was my choice, made for my family at that time. It is not the only right choice. Many parents keep the careers they love and raise wonderful children. What mattered for me was that I made the decision consciously, for her safety and for the kind of presence I wanted to give her.
A question to sit with
If you are weighing a change in your own life for your child, try not to ask only, “What will I lose?” Also ask, “What do I want my child’s early years to feel like, and what will make that possible?” There is no perfect answer, only the one that is honest for your family.
The full series: How I Raised My Daughter
- Part 1: May 2020
- Part 2: The Job I Gave Up for Her (you are here)
- Part 3: Her Day Is Mine to Make
- Part 4: Chosen
- Part 5: She Is Watching
If this story spoke to you, share it with a new parent who might need it today. You can follow the series on Instagram at @mindfullyraised_.
